6.1 - China

Appointed as a special envoy to the Republic of China.
Duration: December 1945 - January 1947.
Expressed cautious optimism about a new Chinese constitution and democratic elections scheduled for late 1947.
Major concerns raised:
- Civil war between Chinese Nationalists and Communists.
- Efforts for peace frustrated by extremists on both sides.
- Antagonism between Nationalists and Communists undermined truce negotiations.

Despite being a WWII winner, conditions did not improve:
- Catastrophic inflation and black marketeer issues exacerbated.
- Economic challenges included high unemployment and shortages of goods.
U.S. attempts to mediate included bringing Mao Zedong and Chiang Kai-shek for negotiations (Mao's first airplane ride).

Taiwan returned to Chinese control post-Japan WWII defeat, suffering from:
- Residual war damage and economic policies restricting market operations.
The Soviet occupation of Manchuria from Japan:
- Soviets maintained control over key economic regions until 1954.
- Extracted war reparations, leading to resentment among Chinese.
- Massive Soviet military presence boosted Communist forces in China.

Rebellion in Taiwan sparked by violent police action against a vendor.
Major uprising crushed by Nationalist troops, resulting in thousands of deaths.
Incident unmentionable publicly for many years, creating deep resentment among Taiwanese against the Nationalist government.

United States provided extensive aid to Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalists despite their military advantages.
Nationalists fought defensive wars and were gradually outmaneuvered.
Massive equipment losses to Communists during the civil war.

Key events leading up to the establishment of the People's Republic of China (PRC):
- Beijing fell in January 1949.
- By April, Red Army began aggressions across multiple regions.
- Chiang Kai-shek retreated with followers to Taiwan, which became the Nationalist stronghold.
Mao Zedong proclaimed the PRC on October 1, 1949, adopting a pro-Soviet stance.

Mao's 1949 Moscow visit:
- Sought Soviet support and gained a $300 million loan.
- Brief period of Soviet assistance for technological transfers began.
US policy shifted to full support for Taiwan post-Korean War outbreak (1950).

The PRC's urgent priorities after the revolution included:
- Establishing a stable national currency (renminbi).
- Restoring order and combating hyperinflation.
Mao's ambitions for a Marxist social revolution faced immediate challenges due to China's economic status (semi-feudal, semi-colonial).

Mao's call for rapid industrialization through mass mobilization and spontaneous local enthusiasm.
Allowed for the implementation of the rural communes but faced obstacles:
- The infamous backyard steel furnaces led to overproduction and lacked planning.
- Farming practices worsened agricultural output—30 million estimated deaths from subsequent famine.
Mao resisted critiques of policies, leading to purges within Communist leadership.

Initiated by Mao to reinforce communism against perceived capitalist infiltration.
Red Guards mobilized to push Maoist ideology; led to purges and a significant deterioration of social order and control.
Key figures such as Deng Xiaoping were purged but later rehabilitated.

The decline in Sino-Soviet relations post-Stalin:
- Criticism of Soviet policies, border skirmishes in the late 1960s, a significant increase in military presence along the border.
- The perception that the Soviet Union posed a larger threat than the US, leading to American engagement efforts.

Marked a thaw in US-China relations; an opportunity for diplomatic engagement.
Resulted in the Shanghai Communiqué, laying groundwork for future interactions despite continual acknowledgment of Taiwan's status.

Economic reforms post-Mao were characterized by:
- Abandoning strict communist practices in favor of localized economic initiatives.
- The shift towards market-based reforms that allowed for family-operated agriculture and personal entrepreneurship.
- Introduction of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) allowing for foreign investment and economic growth synced with state-owned enterprises.
- Wealth inequalities emerged, as did significant social challenges linked to modernization, including corruption and environmental degradation.

Sparked by disillusionment with corruption, rising bureaucratic controls, and calls for political reform.
Witnessed a significant student-led demonstration aligned with international pro-democracy movements.
Results in brutal suppression of protests by the government, culminating in the military's introduction into the square and the loss of hundreds of lives.

Despite severe repression during the Tiananmen Square incidents, the CCP maintained significant control over the population and reintroduced rapid economic reforms which eventually transformed China into a global economic powerhouse by the early 21st century.